How to Do Pokkuvaravu or Mutation of Your Property in Kerala

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How to Do Pokkuvaravu or Mutation of Your Property in Kerala

The monumental act in any property purchase is the signing of the sale deed. But contrary to what many people think, the property purchase process is far from over.

Just because the property is registered doesn’t mean it is legally theirs. The property legally becomes the buyer’s only after the process of mutation is done.

Definition of Mutation/Pokkuvaravu

When a property is sold or transferred from one person to another, there needs to be a change in the title ownership as well. This process of transferring the ownership is called mutation. The property is recorded in the land revenue department under the new owner’s name, and from then on this person will be responsible to pay the property tax charged by the government.

The documentation procedure for mutation, and the applicable fee may vary from state to state. The process of mutation is called “Pokkuvaravu” in Kerala.

How to Do Pokkuvaravu or Mutation of Your Property in Kerala

Here’s the step by step process on how to do Pokkuvaravu or mutation of property in Kerala.

1. Complete Property Purchase

The process of purchasing the property from the seller needs to be fully completed. This include identification, negotiation, payment and getting the property registered in the name of the buyer.

2. Collect Sale Deed

Once the property sale is registered with the respective sub-register office, they will process it. The sale deed can be collected from them within a few weeks.

3. Pokkuvaravu Application

After receiving the sale deed, an application need to be given to the respective village office, requesting the pokkuvaravu/mutation to be done in favour of the buyer.

4. Pay Fees

Village offices charge a nominal fee for getting the pokkuvaravu/mutation done. The current rates applicable are as follows:

  • Rs. 25 for up to five acres of property
  • Rs. 50 for over five and up to 20 acres
  • Rs. 100 for over 20 and up to 40 acres
  • Rs. 200 for over 40 acres and up to two hectares
  • Rs. 500 for over two hectares

This fees need to be paid at the respective village office for the application to be processed. The government  revises the above mentioned rates from time to time.

5. Submit Copy of the Deeds

A copy of the current and previous registration deeds need to be submitted at the village office.

6. Verification of Original Deed

The respective authorities in the village office may need to verify the original deed. In that case, the original deed needs to be produced to them for verification at the village office.

7. Issue Date of Property Verification

A village officer (surveyor) will then visit the property in order to physically measure and verify it. The surveyor will fix a date for the site visit in agreement with the applicant .

8. Physical Survey

The surveyor from the village office will visit the property on the agreed date, measure the property and also verify its boundaries.

9. Disputes with the Neighbours

The surveyor will also check if there any unresolved disputes with any of the neighbours in terms of borders, area or any other disputes with respect to the said property.

10. Transfer of Title

If there are no outstanding issues or pending disputes, the village office will transfer the title of the land from the seller’s name to the buyer’s buyers name in the Village / Taluk records as applicable. The buyer will get a new Thandaper or the land gets added to their existing Thandaper in the village.

11. Pay Tax

The new owner will now be allowed to pay all property related taxes under the new Thandaper in their name at the respective village office.

The process of getting Pokkuvaravu or mutation done for your property in Kerala is not that very complicated. We hope this article has shed some light on the process involved and will guide you on the right track.

27 thoughts on “How to Do Pokkuvaravu or Mutation of Your Property in Kerala”

  1. I am having 04.60 Are land with Sy No 719/17 with Thandaper No. 4722 at Block No 021 at Pathiyoor Village, Karthikappally Taluk of Alappuzha Dist since 2003 which has been got on partition. I was paying the tax in my name. Now on verifying the details for paying the tax online, it is seen that the property is still in my mother’s name. What action I hava to do. Kindly advice. My Mob No is 9446950434
    K Soman

    Reply

    • Hi Soman,

      Though you were paying taxes, it would have been recorded as tax received from your mother. This could be because mutation was not effected. Please apply for mutation of the property from your mother’s name to yours, at the Village Office.
      Thanks
      Team TRANSFORM

      Reply

      • it is on line now. No need to even apply now. The document copy will be sent to Village office from SRO after registration. VO can do muation according to the ducument rcvd. you can verify the status of pokkuvarav by giving document details by using revenue dept kerala website.

        Reply

  4. My grandfather deied in 2006. My father and his brothers made a partition after the death of my grand father in 2008. The pokku varavu is also done. The legal heirship certificate of grand father is now not available. Is the legal heirship certificate is needed for obtain a housing loan to build a house in our property?

    Reply
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  7. Hi
    We have purchased a property 3 to 4yrs back and not done pokkuvaravu and we have adharam . Not paid tax yet. What are the procedures to legalise our property.What are the documents needed. Does it needed original copy of adharam or photocopy.

    Reply

  8. Hi,
    we have purchased a property 3 to 4 years back and not done pokkuvaravu and we don’t have paper from register office as well; we have only adaaram and not paid tax till now. so, what are the procedures to leagalise our property.

    please give your valued suggestions

    thank you in advance

    Reply

  9. Does the rules and procedures remain even in case of transfer of property in form of inheritance after father’s death house being transferred to sister’s name with acceptance from brother and mother being the other two heirs as specified in the heirship certificate?please advise.
    Thanks/Regards

    Reply

    • Hi Viji,
      Pokkuvaravu certificate could take a few weeks in all other paperwork is in order. It would be a good idea to check physically with the village office.

      Thanks,
      Team Transform
      8139 800 800

      Reply

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